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5 candidates to become Eagles training camp darling of 2026
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- 5 candidates to become Eagles training camp darling of 2026
5 candidates to become Eagles training camp darling of 2026 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
You'll never forget the names.
The players who seemingly come out of nowhere, go to Eagles training camp and turn enough heads to become fan favorites. Paul Turner, Henry Josey , Rasheed Bailey and more. We're talking about training camp darlings.
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Last year, the guy who captured everyone's attention was Darius Cooper . The UDFA from Tarleton State actually made the Eagles' 53-man roster and played some as a rookie.
Here are five candidates to be this year's training camp darling:
TE Dae'Quan Wright
It's going to be tough for Dae'Quan Wright (6-5, 246) to make the Eagles' 53-man roster but he could definitely turn some heads in training camp. Just this spring, he made a few notable plays already. Wright spent the last two seasons at Ole Miss after two seasons at Virginia Tech . In 2025, Wright had 39 catches for 635 yards and 5 touchdowns. He's an unfinished product when it comes to run blocking but he has some highlight-reel catches on his resume, even after playing through a shoulder injury most of last season.
WR Danny Gray
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The 27-year-old Gray was with the Eagles in training camp early last summer but then hurt his finger and was waived with an injury designation. Gray (6-0, 200) eventually returned to the practice squad last season and is back for another training camp in Philly. Gray was a 49ers' 3rd-round pick out of SMU back in 2022 but has played in just 13 NFL games with just 1 catch. But Gray is definitely talented and has speed. He ran a 4.33 at the Combine back in 2022. It's a crowded receiver room so it's going to be tough for him to stand out, but a few big plays and he can turns some heads quickly.
DB Maximus Pulley
Keep an eye on UDFA Maximus Pulley from Wofford College. He's a safety fighting for a job and to prove that his game will translate at the NFL level. In college, he was a ballhawk with five interceptions in the 2025 season and he was already around the football during spring practices. His college highlight reel was fun:
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Another undrafted defensive back to keep an eye on is Kapena Gushiken (5-10, 189) from Ole Miss. Gushiken began his college career at a JUCO program before two years at Washington State and a year at Ole Miss. We'll see where the Eagles play Gushiken but it seems like they want him at safety early. The only time Vic Fangio spoke publicly this spring, he was asked about the safety position and one of the names he mentioned was Gushiken, who got the nickname "Gush" from the veteran DC.
Mitchell is a bit of an older player to be on this list. The 28-year-old was a 6th round pick of the 49ers back in 2021. He had a tryout with the Eagles in the spring and earned a roster spot so he showed them a little something. Mitchell is a player I liked coming out of Louisiana back in 2021 but after a 963-yard rookie season, he hasn't had much NFL success. There isn't a spot for him on this roster but I'm curious to see what kind of training camp he has.
